The extracurricular course "My Family" will be introduced in primary school starting September 1, 2026.

      March 19, 2026 18:59 Society Starting September 1, 2026, a new extracurricular course "My Family" will be introduced in Russian schools for students in grades 1-4. This course will not be mandatory, and the decision to include it in the curriculum will be left to educational institutions. This was reported by 360.ru from the press service of the Ministry of Education.

      The ministry emphasized that when making the decision to introduce the course, schools must consider the wishes of parents. Educational institutions can independently decide whether to include the course in the lesson schedule or keep it as an extracurricular activity.

      The "My Family" course was developed by educator Tatyana Polikarpova and aims to help children understand the role of family in their lives.

      The author told RIA Novosti that first graders will be able to realize what love is, how family shapes a child's social adaptation skills, sense of patriotism, and love for their country and its citizens during the classes.

      The teaching materials for the 2nd grade focus on traditional spiritual and moral values of Russia, historical memory, and the formation of a sense of dignity and freedom.

      In the 3rd grade, qualities that are strengthened in the family, making children kinder and more responsive, are considered. In the fourth year of study, the main focus is on relationships between adults and children, which helps prepare students for adolescence and teaches them to value family relationships.

      The new course is compared to the "Conversations about Important Things" lessons, but there are significant differences between them. "Conversations about Important Things" are weekly class hours covering a wide range of topics and are mandatory for all schools and classes. In contrast, the "My Family" course is more specialized and focuses exclusively on family and personal relationship issues.

      The course program is designed for 34 academic hours per year, which implies one class per week, as specified in the federal state educational standards (FSES).

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